Vet students help regiments declare their horses to be ‘strangles free’.

The research abstract details how veterinary students in Nottingham helped to screen and treat 400 military horses for a disease known as strangles. They worked with Army veterinary teams for six days and managed to clear all affected horses, leading to both military regiments declaring their horses free of the disease.

Detailed Collaboration

• The students worked closely with the veterinary teams of two military regiments, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
• Over six days, they took on the major task of screening 400 horses for an infectious disease known as strangles, which causes respiratory issues in horses.
• The screening took place in November and infected horses were isolated and treated for more than three weeks until all signs of infection had cleared.

Impact and Success of the Program

• Due to the success of the program, both regiments have declared themselves free of strangles.
• Major Harriet Church of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment praised the students and clinicians of Nottingham’s veterinary school for their invaluable contribution.
• She acknowledged how their tenacity and commitment ensured every single horse could be tested and treated prior to the horses’ Christmas leave period.

Student Benefits

• Not only did the program result in the successful eradication of strangles from the regiments’ horses, but it also afforded an excellent practical experience for the participating students.
• Gayle Hallowell, from Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, shared that the experience was an exceptional opportunity for the students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real-world, demanding environment.
• The students not only gained hands-on experience, but also learned about disease management strategies and were given significant responsibility, which will help develop their skills for future employment.

Future Measures and Preventions

• In response to the outbreak, both regiments have implemented a new hygiene strategy in a bid to prevent their horses from returning infections.
• The regiments will also use the screening methods on new horses joining their respective teams, to ensure the disease does not re-enter the population.